Investigative portal Átlátszó.hu, watchdog organization K-Monitor, and Transparency International Hungary combine their efforts to increase transparency and curb corruption in a joint endeavor to collectively protect whistleblowers. Our experience shows that neither the existing legal framework to protect whistleblowers, nor the Hungarian anti-corruption and law enforcement institutions provide sufficient support to persons who publically expose wrongdoing. Therefore we are convinced that only the cooperation of NGO’s can make citizens feel safe to report on graft and abuse of power.

The most effective way to uncover acts of corruption is to provide persons who witness these misconducts with an opportunity to safely raise their concerns in public. Recently, however, those who disclosed corruption were persecuted, brought to trial and at times even harassed by the authorities.

We are determined to furnish services to individuals who have contacted or intend to contact the authorities to make a complaint about violations of public interest and misconducts. We welcome any disclosure of abuse of entrusted power, malpractice of government organisations, misappropriation of public funds, mismanagement of national property. We also aspire to take significant cases, where citizens’ life or wellbeing is at stake, their rights are violated, or the environment is endangered.

Our aim is to prevent whistleblowers from being deterred from disclosing information to uncover and expose incidents of corruption. In order to achieve this, we provide them with legal counseling, and psychological assistance, as well as with media and journalistic support. We also intend to provide financial support to persons who disclose information regarding cases of significant public interest, if they suffer a financial loss as a consequence of reporting.

When contacted by a potential whistleblower, we set up a preliminary meeting to discuss the details of the particular case. We outline the necessary requirements to disclosing the case, and the expected consequences of going public. If the given case is well-founded, the organizations cooperating in the whistleblower-protection program determine the type of support needed and consult with the potential whistleblower.

Support program

One can support our whistleblower-protection program by volunteering or through donations. We accept financial subsidies in the forms of occasional or regular donations.

Bank account: 12011265-01425189-00300005

Donations may be assigned to a specific whistleblower who brings forth a particular case. Donors with donations of less than HUF 500.000 in a financial year may preserve their anonymity. We do not accept support or donations from political parties or from their affiliated foundations. The detailed budget of the whistleblower protection cooperation ­­is made publicly available annually.

Whistleblower of the year award

An unprecedented endeavor of this program is to recognize the civil courage of whistleblowers by awarding the ‘whistleblower of the year’ award every year to the person who discloses the most significant case of the year.